Russia denies Sergei Lavrov hospitalised

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) arrives to attend the G20 Summit at Ngurah Rai International airport at Tuban, Badung regency on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, on November 13, 2022. (Photo by SONNY TUMBELAKA / POOL / AFP)

Moscow, Russia | AFP |

Russia on Monday denied “as the highest level of fake” reports that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had been hospitalised on his visit to Indonesia for the G20 summit.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted a video of the 72-year-old diplomat in a T-shirt and shorts along with her.

They were shown laughing in the video after several media reported that he was in hospital.

“We’re here with Sergei Viktorovich (Lavrov) in Indonesia, reading the wires and we can’t believe our eyes,” Zakharova said.

“It’s the highest level of fake.”

Lavrov claimed the reports were part of “some kind of game” that he blamed on Western media.

“They’ve been writing for about 10 years that our president is sick,” he said.